Twenty Years
by Biopolarism
Summary: Twenty years they knew each other. Looked at each other. Loved each other. A snapshot of Katniss' and Peeta's relationship every five years. AU. Oneshot.


_**AN:**__ This is my first time writing something smutty. Please don't shoot me. _

* * *

**Five**

It was Peeta's first day in kindergarten when he heard that sweet melodic voice. A young girl, whose dark midnight hair was parted in two braids, volunteered enthusiastically to sing the Valley Song. When she sung the first line of the song, he was enchanted. As she finished the last lines of the song, he was captivated beyond words.

His father picked him up from school that day. During their trip home, his father asked him. "How was your first day of school?"

Peeta gave his biggest toothy smile. "It was the best day ever."

His father smiled, a little curious. "Why?"

Peeta looked at him, his innocent blue eyes speaking sincerity.

"I just met the girl I will marry one day."

* * *

**Ten**

Katniss never understood the meaning of empty. Not until this dark, gloomy day.

As she watched her father's casket being lowered to the ground, she felt her chest empty itself of its non-existent contents. How could it happen? One moment, he was driving home to his family from work, something he has done repeatedly for the past decade of his life. The next moment, he was crushed beyond recognition by a drunk truck driver. Bile rose in Katniss' throat the moment she saw his casket closed from viewing.

She held Prim's hand tightly in her own, running her thumb soothingly on Prim's palm as her sister cried silently beside her. Prim was only six but she was mature enough to understand that their father is never coming back. The emptiness in Katniss' chest grew deeper at the thought of her grieving sister.

Katniss glanced over her mother. Her face was blank and devoid of any emotion. Her eyes were sunken and glassy as they focused on the casket, but Katniss knew her mother's mind has drifted off somewhere far beyond their reach, never to return again. Katniss's eyes burned at her mother madly for leaving them behind at this time in their lives they needed her the most.

At the end of the funeral, everyone was shuffling out of the cemetery, including Prim who was holding onto their catatonic mother for dear life. Katniss stood alone at her father's grave. She couldn't bring herself to feel anymore. Her mind was empty, her heart was empty, even her soul was empty. Nothing was left in her; at a young age, her grief caused her to go numb.

A hand gently shook her shoulders. She didn't want to turn around, but the hand remained on her shoulders, shaking slightly. She looked at the owner of the hand and saw a familiar blonde boy staring at her with glassy bright blue eyes.

"I'm sorry Katniss. I really am."

Katniss felt a tiny prick in the emptiness in her chest. She looked at him and he looked at her. Their eyes spoke all the feelings that cannot be addressed by words at that exact moment: hurt, comfort, sorrow.

"Take this." Peeta said in a small voice as he handed her a small blue bag of bread; bread he made himself for her. "I have nothing else to give. I hope that's enough." With that, he walked away, rode his bike and sped away.

Katniss stood frozen in place as she felt a small part of the emptiness in her heart diminish.

Peeta said he has nothing else to give aside from the bread. What he didn't know was he gave something else to Katniss than just the bread.

Peeta gave Katniss hope.

* * *

**Fifteen**

Her eyes searched for him in the cafeteria in school. She usually looked at him fleetingly in secret, but now she had to look at him. She needed to see him.

She needed him to see in her eyes what she couldn't express with her words.

Peeta is sitting in the middle of the cafeteria with a group of people different from hers. She watched as some blonde girl patted his arm. Her chest hummed and buzzed with toxic electricity at the sight.

"Hey Catnip." Gale greeted as he patted her on the shoulder. Gale sat beside her and started eating his lunch.

"Hi Gale." Katniss replied. She looked back to Peeta, only to meet his intense blue eyes scrutinizing her. And the boy beside her.

She shifted the emotion in her eyes as she remembered what happened a few days ago.

_She was desperate. Prim was sick and she had to buy medicines, which caused her to run out of money. She couldn't hunt in the forest as it was turning into winter; it wasn't a good season for hunting as all the animals are gone on hibernation._

_Rummaging. Searching. Trembling. She went to the wealthier side of town to search for scraps through the trash, no matter how shameful it was for her pride. She couldn't find anything to eat though._

_She couldn't remember anything hours after that. She was delirious from hunger. She found herself laying up a tree beside a familiar alley. The alley behind Mellark's Bakery._

_She looked at the door of the bakery as someone swung it open on a hurry. She saw Peeta holding a familiar blue bag. He handed it to her quickly, looking around cautiously._

_"Take this. " He went back to the bakery as quickly as he went out._

_She peered into the bag suspiciously and saw two slightly burnt loaves of bread._

He looked at her, understanding in his face as he comprehended what she was trying to express.

Katniss Everdeen is thanking Peeta Mellark.

For the bread. For the seed of hope.

And for that unfamiliar feeling in her heart.

* * *

**Twenty**

If someone told Peeta Mellark he would be kissing Katniss Everdeen like this, he would tell them to go fuck themselves.

After imagining what her lips would taste like.

His imagination didn't do any justice at all compared to the real thing.

Katniss Everdeen tastes like sweet fire on his tongue. He doesn't care if he turned to ashes at this very moment. He's glad to burn for her anyway.

Both of them didn't know how they ended up this way. All they knew was it started a year ago, when they learned they attended the same university and shared half of the same classes. All the years of quiet understanding brought them together as close friends. Everything started simple. He learned everything about her as she opened up to him. She learned everything about him as he opened up to her. As the year flew by, the pent-up tension between them sparked like a flame ready to be lit. Accidental touches against each other's arm. Innocent flirting. Stolen glances. Platonic gestures that suggested something else. They spend their days almost always together, hovering on the line between friends and lovers. They spend their nights away from each other under the sheets; imagining each other as their own hands pleasure themselves.

Tonight was different. One moment their eyes met. The next moment their lips were crashing against each other in a passionate frenzy.

Katniss writhed in pleasure underneath him as he slowly stroked her body. Their hands explored each other slowly yet fully, making up for the years they spent yearning for each other.

Lips kissing every part they could reach. His hands and mouth worshipping her breasts. Her fingers travelling the smooth expanse of his stomach, back and shoulders. Hands stroking the most intimate of their parts. Hips gyrating and grounding against each other as he slips in and out of her core. Pleasured moans. Sensual breaths. Hearts racing as they reach their climax in bliss.

Together as one.

Later that night as they held each other, Peeta asked.

"You love me. Real or not real?"

Katniss smiled.

"Real."

* * *

**Twenty-five**

"I now pronounce you, Man and Wife. You may kiss the bride."

Peeta lifted her veil and looked at her with the most loving eyes.

They kissed as if this was the first time in forever that they did.

As they held hands before they walked out of the church doors to start their married life, Katniss turned to Peeta.

"Together?"

"Always."

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